An Old Fashioned Lightbulb by Gary Priester

In this tutorial we make an attempt to capture the look of a glowing old fashioned filament lightbulb.

It's one of the longer tutorials. Intrepid new users may be able to get through the tutorial but some experience with Xara Xtreme and how vector drawing programs work will be helpful. A couple of unique blends were used to create the cloth cord and socket shape. So let's get started.

Create a circle, rectangle and ellipse to the sizes shown above. Vertically align the 3 shapes using the Alignment menu (Arrange > Alignment). If you need help with the Alignment menu see The Object Alignment Menu in The Xara Xone Workbook 44.

Align the center of the ellipse and circle to the ends of the rectangle.

TIP: Select the ellipse or circle with the Ellipse Tool (Shift F4) and a small X cross hair will appear in the exact center. Align the center of the X with the end of the rectangle.

 

Select the rectangle. Click the middle right button on the Set Origin Position icon on the Infobar as shown above. With the black lock icon on the Infobar in the disabled position (up) enter 170pix in the W (Width) text entry box and press Enter or Return to apply the change.

With the rectangle selected, from the Arrange menu, select Convert to Editable Shapes.

 

With the rectangle selected, switch to the Shape Editor Tool (F4). Select the top left control point and move it straight up until it aligns to the edge of the circle. Select the bottom left control point and move it down to align to the edge of the circle.

With the modified rectangle still selected drag the sides towards the center as shown above. Curve the sides so they make a natural transition from the circle. Drag guidelines from the top screen ruler (Ctrl L to display screen rulers) and snap them to the top and bottom right corners of the modified rectangular shape. Click on the corner control points with the Shape Editor Tool and align the Bezier control handles (the small red squares at the end of the lines) to the guidelines. The ends of both handles should be the same distance from the right.

Using the Selector Tool (the arrow pointer), drag a selection rectangle (a marquee) around all 3 shapes. The rectangle must be drawn around the entire shapes, and not just through the shapes, to select them.

With all 3 shapes selected from the  Arrange menu, select Combine Shapes > Add Shapes or use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl 1. You should now have a simple lightbulb shape as shown above in black outline. The blue outline represents the shapes before combining.

Set the lightbulb shape to one side for the moment.

Using the Rectangle Tool (Shift F3), create 3 small rectangles to the sizes shown above top.

Select the first rectangle then click the Curved Corners icon on the Infobar. From the drop down list select Curvature and change the Curvature setting to 0.4. Press Enter to apply the change.

Repeat this last step to round the other 2 horizontal rectangles.

NOTE: The rectangles should be drawn as close to the actual size as possible the first time. If a rectangle is non-proportionally resized, the corners may not be round. The best way to do this is to draw the 3 rectangles and resize them as necessary. Draw new rectangles directly on top and then apply the Curved Corners to the new rectangles. Delete the first rectangles.

Vertically align the 2 larger rectangles as shown above. Select the 2 larger rectangles and Arrange > Combine Shapes > Add Shapes (Ctrl 1).

Place the small rectangle on top as shown.

Create a new rectangle to the size shown above and apply a corner Curvature of 0.7. Convert the rectangle to Editable Shapes (Arrange menu). Vertically align it to the other shapes as shown.

With the rounded rectangle selected, switch to the Shape Editor Tool and select the 2 control points shown above in red outline and press the Break at Points icon on the Infobar. Select and delete the right side.

Using the Shape Editor Tool, move the end control points inward until they align with the center of the shape shown above. I've added 2 guidelines through the center to help align the ends.

Create a horizontal line that starts at the end of the curved shape and extends to the end of the loop shape as shown above. Duplicate the line and align it to the bottom end of the loop shape.

Change the outline width to 2pt for the loop shape and 1pt for the horizontal lines by selecting 2pt or 1pt from the Width drop down list on the Infobar.

Save your drawing and take a short break.

Select the 2 horizontal lines. Open the Line Gallery (F12). Open the Arrowheads folder. Select the Tail shown above and press Apply.

If the rounded portion is at the wrong end, press the Flip Horizontally icon on the Infobar.

Draw a series of ellipses to the sizes shown above top. I've colored the ellipses to show which ones are the same sizes and which can be duplicates.

Draw a rectangle that is 225 pixels wide and use this to align the ellipses as shown above middle. Vertical center align the ellipses using the Alignment menu (Arrange > Align ). Delete the rectangle when the ellipses are aligned.

Make 2 sets of clones (Ctrl k) as shown above bottom.

Select one of the ellipses and using the Fill Tool (F5), create a Linear fill as shown above and using the colors shown. Use the Color Editor (Ctrl e) to edit the colors in RGB Color Model mode. If you need help with color editing, see Mixing Colors in Workbook 40. Double click on the fill path arrow to add new colors.

Copy the fill to the Clipboard (Ctrl c).

Select all of the ellipses and Edit > Paste Attributes or press Shift Ctrl a.

Select the first set of cloned ellipses and Arrange > Combine Shapes > Subtract Shapes (Ctrl 2). Repeat this procedure with the second set of cloned ellipses.

Draw a rectangle that is 98 pixels tall and center the rectangle just inside the first combined clone shape. We want to remove only the area shown above in blue dashed outline. Select the rectangle and the combined cloned shape and Arrange > Combine Shapes > Subtract Shapes. The result is shown above bottom right.

TIP: Don't worry if you don't do this exactly right. Press Ctrl z or Edit > Undo and try again. Xara supports multiple undo and you can go back 10-20 steps if necessary.

Here comes the fun part. Select the Blend Tool (F7). Click on the far right ellipse and drag to the left to the next ellipse over. Drag again from the next ellipse in to the left to the next ellipse over. Continue doing this until you have created a blend of all the ellipses by dragging from one ellipse to the next.

Change the number of Blend Steps on the Infobar to 100 and press Enter to apply the change.

Set the outline to none by RIGHT clicking on the small cross hatched box to the left of the screen color palette.

Ctrl click on the last ellipse on the left to select just it. Copy the ellipse to the Clipboard (Ctrl c) then paste it back on top using Edit > Paste in Place or Shift Ctrl v.

Press the Flip Horizontally icon (the triangles).

Apply 4 pixels feathering using the Feathering slider in the upper right area of the Infobar.

Bring the 2 C-shaped cloned shapes to the front (Ctrl f) and align them as shown above top.

Select each shape with the Fill Tool (F5) and move the 2nd and 3rd colors up a short distance and the 4th color down a short distance.

Duplicate the bulb shape (Ctrl d). Change the fill from Circular to Flat 60% Black.

Select the shape with the Contour Tool (Ctrl F7) and drag any of the red arrow control handles towards the center to apply an Inner Contour.

On the Contour Tool Infobar change the Contour Width to 80pix and press Enter to apply the change. Change the number of Contour Steps to 150 and press Enter to apply this change.

Press the Position Profile arrow icon on the Infobar and select Profile 1 from the drop down list.

Right click on the contour and, from the pop up menu, select Create Bitmap Copy... Select the True Color + Alpha option and press Create. You can delete the contour or set it to one side in case we need it later.

NOTE: Sometimes when you try to apply a contour, you get a result that looks like the one shown in the above top example. This is frequently caused by an extra, hidden control point. Select the control point and then press the Tab key once. It may look like nothing happened but you have selected the hidden point. Delete this point and, with any luck, your contour will look like the bottom example.

Select the bitmap and change the fill and outline colors shown above using the Color Editor (Ctrl e). The darker color is the outline color and the pale yellow is the fill color.

Select the bitmap with the Transparency Tool (F6) and apply a Circular, Stained Glass transparency. Center the Circular transparency over the circular portion of the lightbulb shape and extend the fill path arrow as shown.

Switch the start and end Transparency slider settings on the Infobar as shown. 100% is totally transparent while 0% is totally non-transparent.

Save your drawing and take a short break.

Make a duplicate light bulb shape. If that extra contour is still around you can remove the contour and use it. Select the shape with the Contour Tool (Ctrl F7) and create a 1-step, Inner Contour. Make the Contour Width 5pix then press the Inset Path diamond-shaped icon. This eliminates all but the inner contour shape, even if there are dozens of contour rings.

Make a duplicate of this shape.

Clone (Ctrl k) one of the shapes and move the clone down and right as shown above left. Select both the clone and the original and Arrange > Combine Shapes > Subtract Shapes (Ctrl 2).

Select the second duplicate and make a clone. Move this clone up and to the left about 10 pixels as shown above, bottom right. Subtract Shapes (Ctrl 2).

Apply a white fill, no outline to the top shape and a pale yellow fill, no outline to the bottom shape.

Position the 2 shapes over the bulb drawing. Select the top shape and Arrange > Break Shapes. Using the Transparency Tool (F6), apply a Linear, Mix transparency to the larger of the 2 broken shapes. Drag the fill path arrow as shown above left so that it extends a short distance beyond the shape. Change the starting transparency to 20% and the end transparency to 100%. New users, click on the box at the end of the arrows and then change the slider setting on the Infobar.

TIP: You can apply a Linear fill or a Linear transparency by clicking the object with the appropriate tool to select it then dragging in the direction you wish the fill or transparency to go.

Select the top smaller shape (on the right) and apply a Linear transparency as shown.

Select the pale yellow reflected highlight shape and apply 3 pixels feathering using the Adjust Size of Feather Region slider found at the top right area of the Infobar.

Clone the small inner rectangle (shown above in blue).

Select the t-shape and the small rectangle and Arrange > Combine Shapes > Subtract Shapes (Ctrl 2). Change the fill color to 60% Black.

Apply a 25-step, Inner Contour. Click the Position Profile arrow icon on the Infobar and select Profile 1 from the drop down list.

Place the smaller cloned rectangle over the opening and apply a Linear fill.

Marquee select both shapes and Arrange > Create Bitmap Copy.... True Color + Alpha and change the Bitmap Resolution: to 300dpi.

Set the non-bitmap shapes to one side or delete them.

Place the bitmap over the end of the bulb shape and apply a Linear, Luminosity transparency. Arrange the fill path arrow as shown so the glass unit fades into the bulb shape.

Make a new rectangle and apply Curved Corners. From the drop down list, select Curvature. Using the right arrow keys next to the Curvature text entry box, increase the Curvature amount to 0.7.

Clone (Ctrl k) the shape and move it to the right about 10 pixels. Select both rectangles and Combine Shapes > Subtract Shapes.

Change the fill color as shown and apply a small amount of feathering.

Place the new shape over the top of the T-shape and apply a Linear, Mix transparency.

Select the 2 wires with the circles on the end and the filament and reduce the size to 80%. Make sure the black lock icon (Lock Aspect Ratio) is in the down (enabled) position, enter 80 in the Scale Width or Scale Height percentage text entry box and press Enter.

Move the wires apart so they are to each side of the indented part of the T-shape. Resize the loop shape vertically to align to the ends of the wires.

Select just the 2 wires and apply a Linear, Mix transparency to fade the wires into the glass shape.

Select the filament. Change the outline color to yellow and increase the outline Width to 12pt. Apply 6 pixels of feathering to give the filament a diffused, glowing look.

Clone the filament (Ctrl k). Change the outline color to White, change the Width to 2pt, and remove the feathering.

Align the socket portion with the bulb and send it to the back (Ctrl b).

Select the ellipse at the left hand side and bring this ellipse to the front (Ctrl f).

Select the ellipse with the Transparency Tool (F6) and apply a Linear, Mix transparency.

Save your drawing and take a short break.

Create a small 30 pixel circle. Apply a Linear fill using the colors shown in the enlarged image. Zoom in close to make applying the fill easier.

Open the Line Gallery (F12). In the Dash Patterns folder, select the dashed line shown above and press Apply. Change the outline Width to 1pt and press Apply. Close the Line Gallery. Change the outline color to deep red as shown.

Select the Freehand and Brush Tool (F3) and draw a loopy line. The top end of the line needs to point to the left and down a little bit.

Make a duplicate of the small circle and place it to the left or right away from the original.

Using the Blend Tool (F7), click on one circle and drag a line to the other circle to apply a Blend. Change the number of Blend Steps to 250 and press Enter to apply the change.

With the blend and the Blend Tool still selected, hold down the Shift key and click on the loopy line. Press the Blend Along a Curve icon. This is supposed to look like the old cloth covered wires!

 

Send the cord to the back and arrange it so the end appears to enter the socket.

Select the 2 C-shapes on the socket shown above in orange. Change the fill color to the orange color shown above.

Select the orange C-shape shape that is nearest the bulb and apply a Flat, 30% Mix transparency. Select the 2nd orange C-shape shape and apply a Flat, 40% Mix transparency.

Add a rectangle behind the drawing and apply a Circular fill using the 2 colors shown. Center the fill over the center of the bulb and reduce the size of the fill path arrow as shown.

TIP: My cord extends beyond the rectangle. To make things neat and tidy, once you have added the fill to the rectangle, select it and the blended cord and Arrange > Apply Clipview.

Final step. Select the illustration and Arrange > Create Bitmap Copy..., True Color and change the Bitmap Resolution to about 200dpi. Hold down the Shift key and press Create to place the bitmap directly on top of the drawing.

Double click on the bitmap to open the Xara Picture Editor

In the Enhance menu (Ctrl e), reduce the Blur/Sharpen slider setting to -200. Press the red check mark to apply the change and to shut the dialog.

Select the bitmap with the Transparency Tool (F6) and apply a Circular, Stained Glass transparency.

Center the transparency over the center of the bulb and extend the fill path arrow to the opening in the brass socket. Reverse the start and end transparency settings so that the center is 100% and the end amount is 0% . This makes the center of the bulb appear sharper and more in focus while the image gets softer and less focussed as you move away from the center of the bulb. And finally, clone the bitmap to make the colors even more dramatic.

©2006 Gary Priester from the Xara Xone